The Mardi Gras Chase

By Maggie M. Larche

Twelve-year-old Melanie is bored with her little sister and with yet another Mardi Gras in her hometown. But when she notices a secret code built into the floats of a Mardi Gras parade, she realizes that life might have some surprises left.

Melanie and her friends set off to break the Mardi Gras code. They chase clues throughout the season's parades, sneak into forbidden float barns, and even join forces with the intriguing boy who lives down the street.

But when they uncover the final clue, Melanie must decide how much she's willing to risk to learn the secret of the Mardi Gras code. And she may find that the solution to the riddle isn't the biggest reward of the chase...

- Third place winner of the 2015 Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Southern Breeze Writing Contest -

The Mardi Gras Chase is the first of the True Girls series from Maggie M. Larche, stories of girls with heart and intelligence, plus a touch of romance! We all know a True Girl. Who's yours?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maggie M. Larche
• Release date: Feb 9, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311945174

Maggie M. Larche

Maggie M. Larche loves to sing, read, and swing right alongside her kids. All of her stories feature courageous, smart, funny kids, because that's who her readers are!She is the author of the award-winning Striker Jones series, a groundbreaking approach to teach economics to children through mystery stories. She lives on the beautiful Gulf Coast with her family.Sign up for her mailing list at www.maggiemlarche.com and get a free download of one of her newest books!

Book preview

The Mardi Gras Chase

By Maggie M. Larche

Leopold Press

Copyright © 2015 Maggie M. Larche

Cover illustration by Maha Khatib

Smashwords Edition

Chapter 1

The downtown street exploded in color, with bright greens, reds, and purples sparkling under tinsel and glitter. Jazz music and drumlines competed with the yelling spectators to vibrate the air with sound. Cheap treasures rained down on the crowds, and coins sparkled as they clattered onto the pavement. It was wonderful, tumultuous chaos. And Melanie Smythurst was bored.

Ugh, she said. Let’s go, guys. Please.

Don’t be such a grump, said her friend Kate Butler. This is a great parade. She jumped with perfect timing and snagged a handful of purple beads out of the air. Got it!

Seriously, said Faye Ryan. You are being a downer, Mel. Faye frowned as Kate stuffed the beads into the pillowcase she carried. "And this parade would be perfect if Kate would stop hogging the throws. I’ve got to stop standing beside you. You are just too tall. She lifted her own limp pillowcase and compared it to Kate’s, already half full. This is pathetic."

I’ll buy you both a pile of beads if we head home now, said Melanie. Her red hair glowed from the spotlights of the passing float. Loads of them. I promise.

Nope, said Kate. It’s not the same. They have to be earned.

The girls were watching one of the many Mardi Gras parades in Mobile, Alabama. Lasting several weeks, Mobile’s Mardi Gras was something most kids would envy – nightly parades, dazzling floats, free treats, days off from school, and the promise of balls to attend once they were older. It was a season of celebration for the city’s residents.

Besides, said Kate, you know why we have to stay.

Community pride, said Faye, keeping her eyes on the parade.

Booty-dancing bands, said Kate.

Melanie crossed her arms. Crowds and smells and –

Moon pies! Kate interrupted as she caught one from the air. Thank you! she yelled to the masked marshal riding on horseback.

Melanie sighed and reached over Kate’s shoulder. She plucked the sweet from her hand. Ok, fine. I might stay for the moon pies. She peeled open the wrapper and took a bite.

Mmm, peanut butter, she said with her mouth full.

Gross, said Faye, while Kate just laughed.

Well, look alive girls, said Melanie, stepping back again. If we’re staying, you might as well catch me some snacks.

Kate and Faye took positions on the barricade and prepared for the next round of throws.

Come on, Kate said over her shoulder to Melanie, but Melanie wasn’t listening.

Every float in the parade was preceded by a sign carrier, someone who walked on foot and displayed a placard that announced the theme of the upcoming float. The sign carrier for the float about to pass the girls was a hunched old man whose sign read, Under the Sea. In spite of his age, the man strutted along with a grin on his face, bopping his head to the lively cadence blasting from a nearby marching band. The sign was tilted back on his shoulder.

Look at the title, said Melanie, pointing to the man’s sign. "The R in ‘Under’ is upside-down."

What? said Kate.

I said, Melanie broke off and raised her voice to be heard over the yells now coming from the crowd. Look at the title.

Whoohoo! yelled Kate. She waved her hands in the air as the float passed.

The opulent structure was decorated with clownfish, mermaids, and the occasional octopus. Masked men wearing blue satin costumes stood among artificial waves cresting over their heads, throwing to the crowd below. One rider took a liking to Faye and Kate and showered them with beads and silk roses. The crowd pressed in on all sides to grab the throws that fell to the ground. They picked the ground clean in under five seconds.

After the float moved on, Kate turned again to Melanie.

Sorry, Mel, what did you say?

Never mind, said Melanie. I just noticed that one of the letters was upside-down on the sign for the float.

That’s weird, said Faye. Shouldn’t they catch that sort of thing beforehand?

Sounds to me, said Kate, like the float builders started the party a little early, you know what I mean?

Melanie took another bite of moon pie. A few new spectators arrived and sidled next to the girls. It was a family of five. The father carried the littlest boy wrapped up against the cold in a fleece bodysuit shaped like a bear. Melanie guessed him to be about two.

Good luck catching anything now, she whispered to Faye and Kate. We’ve got a baby.

Darn it, said Kate quietly, glancing back over her shoulder. Cute babies get all the throws.

Ha, said Faye, the lights reflecting off her dark skin. Now you can live like me and Mel for a while.

Melanie laughed and stepped back, enjoying her snack and the starry night filled with music. Though she wasn’t crazy about Mardi Gras, she did enjoy a cold winter evening, an all-too-rare occurrence in Mobile.

She sighed and turned her attention back to the parade.

Look, she said, pointing. There’s another one.

The sign for the next float came along, and right in the middle of the title – Off to the Races – was a backwards C.

That’s so strange, said Faye. Maybe it’s on purpose.

For the rest of the parade, Melanie searched for strange letters. The next sign was free from anything unusual, but the float itself hid a backwards E amongst the decorations.

She pulled out her phone and began documenting each letter she saw.

What are you doing? asked Kate.

Melanie looked up. I’m writing the letters down. What if it’s a sort of message? Like when movie credits spell out something for the audience who stays to the very end.

I wouldn’t think you’d care about a message if it came from Mardi Gras, said Faye.

Well, it probably does say something stupid, like ‘Come to Walmart for all your Mardi Gras needs,’ said Melanie. But what else do I have to do? But by the end of the parade, all Melanie had to show to Faye and Kate was a string of nonsensical letters.

R, C, E, N, R, A, P, read Kate. She nodded seriously. Ah, yes, now it is all clear.

Faye laughed.

Ok, so that was a waste, said Melanie. She locked her phone and dropped it into her pocket. Even the Walmart ad would have been more interesting.

You should have tried to catch stuff, said Kate. She lifted her pillowcase, now overflowing with beads of all colors. A little purple teddy bear stuck its head out of the top.

Pretty good, huh? She paused waiting for a reply. Rather than answering, Melanie and Faye just stared over her shoulder.

What? Kate asked, and Faye silently pointed behind her with a grin.

Kate turned to see the little boy in the fleece bear suit looking down from his perch on his father’s shoulders. His father chatted with the rest of the family while the child gazed longingly at Kate’s teddy bear.

Oh, ok, Kate said, rolling her eyes. Here you go. She handed the bear to the boy, who let out a shriek of delight.

Kate turned back to her friends. Let’s get out of here before I get hit up by more kids.

The bike ride back to their houses was eventful, what with the full bag that Kate had to carry somehow as she rode. Her bike lurched from side to side like a sleepy camel, and the girls were obliged to stop several times so Kate could reposition the bag of throws. By the time they made it to their street, they were all giggling uncontrollably.

See you guys tomorrow, shouted Melanie, laughing as she pedaled slightly farther down the street from her two friends.

Meet at my house, Faye’s voice followed her.

Melanie waved her hand